This $21 Moisturizer Hydrated Skin Better Than 10 High-End Creams

Skincare experts agree that you don't have to break the bank to effectively hydrate your face and body. In fact, some of the top-performing moisturizers in Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab testing (and recommended by dermatologists) can be found at the drugstore.

GH Beauty Lab scientists have a long history of testing face and body moisturizers like lotions and creams for their hydration efficacy. In the Lab, each product's label is first masked to eliminate brand bias. Formulas are dispensed in precisely-measured doses and applied onto a standardized area of clean skin that's been exposed to no other skincare products for three days prior. Lab scientists then use the Corneometer device, which measures hydration levels in skin, to gauge moisturizing effects immediately after application and six hours later to determine whether they last.

Body and face moisturizers are also distributed to and evaluated by consumer testers across the country, who rate them on ease of use, including spreadability, absorption, look and feel on skin and of skin after use, and scent. In the GH Beauty Lab's most recent body lotions test, 5,040 Corneometer data points were recorded and 1,062 consumer survey questions were tallied.

Here, the best moisturizers for face and body proven to hydrate skin in GH Beauty Lab testing, including formulas with SPF and for all skin types, from oily to dry, mature, acne-prone, and more.